Automatic chemical testing apparatus

ABSTRACT

A discretionary automated chemical testing apparatus for conducting multiple chemical tests on a plurality of samples. A loop conveyor carrying rows of tubes along various stations at which steps in chemical testing is performed with a sample dispensing assembly picking up and dispensing a test sample in the tubes, reagent dispensing assembly metering desired amounts of reagents at the proper station, heating means at the stations as required for the chemical test being performed, a testing assembly analyzing the results, tube cleaning and drying means preparing the tubes for reuse, and control means selectively controlling the sequential and multiple analysis.

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2. In a chemical testing apparatus in which a plurality of reaction tubes are indexed through various positions, and test samples are dispensed into the reaction tubes at one position, reagents are injected into the tubes at predetermined positions, tubes are heated at predetermined positions, the contents of the tubes are analyzed at a predetermined position, the improvement in means for analyzing the contents of the tubes comprising, a plurality of cuvettes each having an elongated passageway extending downwardly for insertion into one of the tubes, a movable support supporting said cuvettes for moving said passageways into said tubes and retracting said passageways from the containers, means for raising and lowering said support means, a fill and expel piston and cylinder assembly connected to each of said cuvettes, power means connected to each of said pistons for moving the pistons relative to said cylinder for aspirating the contents of said tubes into the cuvettes when the passageways are inserted into the containers and for expelling the contents of the cuvettes back into the containers after analyzing the contents, said cylinders each having a port positioned behind the piston when the piston is in the retracted position in the cylinder, power means connected to the cylinders for moving the cylinders relative to said pistons for moving the port to the front side of the piston thereby releasing the suction in the assemblies and draining the cuvettes, and analyzing the contents aspirated into the cuvettes.
 3. In a chemical testing apparatus in which a plurality of reaction tubes are indexed through various positions, and test samples are dispensed into the reaction tubes at one position, reagents are injected into the tubes at predetermined positions, tubes are heated at predetermined positions, the contents of the tubes are analyzed at a predetermined position, the improvement in means for analyzing the contents of the tubes comprising, a plurality of cuvettes each having an elongated passageway extending downwardly for insertion into one of the tubes, a movable support means supporting said cuvettes for moving said passageways into said tubes and retracting said passageways from the tubes, suction means connected to each cuvette for aspirating the contents of said tubes into the cuvettes when the passageways are inserted in the tubes, optical readout means for optically analyzing the contents of said cuvettes, said optical means including a light source, a lens, a filter, and a light measuring device wherein the filter is positioned between the cuvette and the light measuring device thereby spacing the filter away from the light source and reducing the adverse effect of the heat from the light source on the filter.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the lens comprises, phosphate glass to reduce the admissibility of heat from the light source from adversely affecting the results of the readout.
 5. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the cuvettes are coated to reduce the admissibility of light except for the portion in the path of the optical readout means.
 6. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the cuvettes include, an enlarged chamber connected between the elongated passageway and the suction means, and a serpentine passageway between the elongated passageway and the chamber for slowing the flow of fluid into the chamber and preventing aspirating the fluid into the suction means. 